Folk music of York typically utilizes acoustic instruments and features lyrics that often tell tales from everyday life. This genre has long been popular and remains relevant today – often serving as an outlet for social protest.
Greenwich Village clubs and coffeehouses were home to an active folk music scene, giving rise to musicians such as Peter, Paul & Mary who would later use these venues as springboards for their careers.
Coney Island
Coney Island has long been synonymous with music. Beginning as the home for three beachside amusement parks, millions have visited it over time to experience its bands, dancing, dining and circus acts; carnival games; roaming elephants; carnival games; as well as its music. Not to mention countless famous singers and performers!
Today, Coney Island is no longer a haven for celebrities and aristocrats; rather it serves as the playground of everyday New Yorkers from diverse backgrounds who come here to dance the day and night away. Yet remnants from old Coney Island days still exist – such as rusty metal carts from days gone by and faded bathing trunks recalling another time period.
An essential folk music institution was Old Town Hall in Greenwich Village – a small, crowded club which once provided performers and established artists alike with a stage and the chance to be noticed. During the Greenwich Village folk revival in the 1960s, this club became popular among pioneers like Pete Seeger and Odetta; moreover it nurtured an entire new generation of future icons including Bob Dylan.
Old Town Hall remains an integral music venue in downtown Manhattan, now serving as a multi-use performing arts center that welcomes performances by both local and national musicians, workshops and educational programs for students as well as various workshops and programs to boost creative talent in young artists.
The Bitter End in Greenwich Village offers another fantastic place to catch some folk music – this legendary club has hosted legends such as Joan Baez and Peter Paul and Mary; in addition, each night there is new talent emerging at this legendary establishment – it could even be where we find the next big thing in folk music!
Once Coney Island had lost some of its special allure during the 1920s, Pain’s Carnival of Venice proved a lifeline to revive it. It demonstrated that people weren’t tied down to any one part of town for entertainment purposes – rather they would go wherever it could be found.
Gerde’s Folk City
Stephen Petrus and Ronald Cohen, two prominent Greenwich Village music historians, have made it a point to go beyond nostalgic reflection to provide a hard-hitting examination of how this music transformed America. Village coffee houses were not simply lively venues but incubators of an emerging counterculture in which young musicians of various stripes could perfect their performance techniques while reshaping social conventions. Furthermore, Izzy Young of the Folklore Center, Mike Porco of Gerde’s, and John Hammond from Columbia Records all played important roles in supporting folk music’s development in America.
Gerde’s opened on West 4th Street and Mercer Avenue in 1960 and quickly became an oasis for struggling singer-songwriters who found inspiration there. Bob Dylan made his first visit there in April 1961; just 24 hours later Robert Shelton of The New York Times wrote an enthusiastic review which would launch his career.
As time passed, many of the artists who performed at Gerde’s went on to achieve global fame. Some, like Judy Collins and Joan Baez, became musical icons; others, like Pete Seeger (deceased), political activists; while some, such as Bob Dylan, managed to bridge both areas by simultaneously becoming popular entertainers and cultural touchstones.
Gerde’s may no longer exist physically, but its name lives on in its former home: Fat Black Pussycat is housed in what used to be Gerde’s space and continues Mike Porco’s legacy by welcoming up-and-coming singers and songwriters. When I attended its grand opening event I witnessed an array of talent with an air of anticipation in the air.
The final gallery, dedicated to recordings, may be its most captivating one. Visitors could spend hours perusing albums cataloged as though at a record fair; but an equally satisfying approach is listening carefully and listening out for sounds that reveal both similarities and dissonance across three decades of freedom, civil rights struggles, free love, drugs, Viet Nam conflict and jealousy.
The Riverboat
The Riverboat at Liberty Square is a boating attraction that transports visitors on an unforgettable tour through America’s rivers. Operating since 1920, this small paddle-wheeled riverboat allows tourists to discover new sights, sounds and histories across this nation while making for an enjoyable sightseeing experience. Open year-round with different departure times throughout each day of operation – don’t miss it!
Attraction for families looking for an enjoyable boat ride while learning more about American history. Trips usually last 30 minutes and feature an audio tour narrator as well as live musicians performing throughout.
Folk music legends Joan Baez, Peter Paul & Marty from the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band are just a few of the popular performers at this venue. Additionally, singer-songwriter sessions and open mic nights allow musicians to showcase their skills.
For those interested in American folk music history, The Riverboat is an invaluable place. Packed full of historical artifacts from its past such as a flyer from Woody Guthrie’s debut performance with Pete Seeger and Hudie “Lead Belly” Ledbetter (known for composing songs such as “Goodnight Irene”) there is plenty to see here!
The Riverboat Cultural Center aims to preserve the rich heritage of its area. Offering classes on traditional instruments like the ukulele and banjo, as well as hosting local acts at their theater, hosting acts themselves and featuring their recording label with excellent acoustics for listening to authentic honky-tonk, country, folk music.
The Ethnic Folk Arts Center was established in 1956 as part of an outreach initiative. Since its founding, its mission has been presenting folk music to the public with notable national and international impact: for instance, through its projects with Klezmer musicians it helped spur a global revival of this tradition. Furthermore, major programs were presented at Smithsonian Folklife Festival and Newport Folk Festivals while creating documentary films and recordings in addition to being affiliated with UNESCO.
The Gate of Cleave
The Gate of Cleave has long been one of York’s premier folk music venues, managed by a co-operative. This pub offers weekly events such as folk night, featuring musicians of all stripes from close by – those wanting to join can bring instruments or just come along and listen.
This pub boasts an excellent reputation for the quality of its food and drinks, but especially for its lively folk music performances. Its atmosphere is welcoming and friendly; locals love coming here for this enjoyable musical entertainment. Live music here makes for a fantastic way to pass an evening.
Jane Paul Buckley stands out as one of the most original folk singers of her generation and has been making music for more than half a century. With an exceptional voice reminiscent of Joan Baez, her powerful presence onstage and songs recorded by numerous artists makes her one of today’s must-hear performers.
“Blowin’ in the Wind” is an iconic folk song with a powerful message: it emphasizes respecting and protecting our environment – an issue of great relevance today. Cover versions have become very popular; many versions have received critical acclaim.
Bob Dylan has often caused offence to those around him; from television networks and civil liberties committees to parents, teachers, and recording technicians. Yet his fans always seem willing to forgive him; his life has certainly been fascinating; while his music has touched millions worldwide.
Stick In The Wheel have defied expectations by creating their own London vernacular that draws upon traditionalist influences while simultaneously echoing Joanna Newsom, Sandy Denny and Adrienne Lenker’s work with its mix of neo-medieval psychedelic folk-rockers with modern feminist lenses such as Joanna Newsom. Their raw mix of acoustic folk, synths and spoken word speaks directly to peoples hidden histories while at the same time creating modern feminist-minded music which speaks directly back at traditionalists who remain in charge.